Take Our Poll: Should Gun-Safety Education Be Taught in Schools?

Members: We’d like to hear from you about the topic of gun education in public schools. Should your children be introduced to gun safety through educational programs held at the elementary, middle school, or high school levels? Or is this kind of instruction something you would rather reserve for yourself?

“Gun education is currently not mandatory in any state as far as we know,” said U.S. & Texas LawShield® President Kirk Evans. “So this is a question that gets decided at the local level by parents who want what’s best for their kids.”

In the past two years Wisconsin,North Carolina,Idaho, and other state Legislatures have tried to pass bills that would have made a certain gun-safety program a mandatory part of the school curriculum. None of the bills were successful.

Certainly, many groups teach firearms safety to minors, including Project ChildSafe, sponsored by the National Shooting Sports Foundation, programs put on by Project Appleseed, the Boy Scouts, 4-H programs, and many others. But these programs are largely conducted outside the walls of schools.

So let us know what your thoughts are on the topic of gun education in schools by leaving your comments in below or by participating in the poll:

63 comments on “Take Our Poll: Should Gun-Safety Education Be Taught in Schools?”

Yes it should be taught! When my children were in grade school 20 years ago, I was allowed to present the NRA’s Eddie Eagle program to the entire school and received thanks from many parents. There were no parents who objected and the kids loved it. The school had about 800 students.

Let us go back to the times of common sense when they taught kids gun, hunting safety about 50 some years ago. It would save lives of those who are not knowledgable on gun safety as of now. Also it could help to stop criminals to kill innocent people.

As an elective, by all means. By a professional gun dealer or trainer. Along with gun laws both federal and state of residence.
People who are interested can take it, those that oppose it can’t complain due to a mandated class.

Lack of knowledge is why so many people get accidentally shot or killed, especially children. Education is necessary, and gun safety should be mandatory, for everyone, however, any/all gun classes should be taught by a “certified instructor.”

“The Second Amendment to the United States Constitution reads: A well regulated militia, being necessary to the security of a free state, the right of the people to keep and bear arms, shall not be infringed.”

Years ago parents taught their children gun safety and how to hunt to survive. Some still do, but most parents nowadays need to be taught along with their children. The classes should be mandatory, and attended by both parents and their children.

Should be an elective with parents permission to keep everyone in the loop. Local Police Depts have qualified range instructors. There are several ways to get people on board. I believe would cut down on accidents with firearms.

Yes, safety should be taught by a qualified Instructor. The Eddie Eagle program would be a good start. It should not be taught or controlled by any school official because of Bias. Of course this should be taught in the home by parents but we know how that would turn out for most of the kids.

Of course, gun safety should be taught in the public schools. It has been a part of the curriculum in the public schools as recently as the 1960s. We are the only generation that is being fed this ‘gun violence’ nonsense.

I believe it should be offered as it is important that as many people as posdible, especially middle school and high school age children and ternagers develop a good working knowledge of a firearm, its nomenclature, proper maintenance, specific use and adequate/secure storage. It would instill respect and confidence. And in my eyes and mind, there’s nothing wrong with that.

I believe the course should be taught as long as a qualified instructor teaches it. However, seeing the quality of the public school systems l’m not sure the school boards are going to know who is qualified to teach. I’m glad my two daughters are grown and married.

Yes, I think it could be a great educational, life lesson , experience for the children as long as the subject matter is taught and personal opinions are kept out of the instruction from both sides; pro or con gun control.

To expedite we need to take a proactive approach and develop after school programs that include “safety” in general. Survival skills may be needed not only in the wild, but urban catastrophe. I taught first aid for 10 years when it was a usable skill. Now a first aid class consists of “call 911”. Was 911 available during 9/11 or Katrina or earthquakes…..no. Did you need to do first aid and protect your property. Absolutely!
We don’t need legislative action to get this done. I am a teacher and can help develop lessons and training of instructors. Make it for both sexes and group onto different ages. All we need is money and volunteers to begin. Get off our butts and do it!

I’m for firearms education and it should be required for safety reasons. The prevalent ‘teaching’ seems to be “don’t touch! get an adult” which is fine for tykes and OK unless it is pushed as a ‘fear’ campaign instead of an understanding campaign. A real safety course will teach safety, respect, and knowledge. Middle school is a good place to start as the children have reached the age of understanding.

Yes absolutely. If the founders and fathers who formed and wrote our Constitution to protect and preserve our rights of all Americans in the United States of America is part of our rights and it should be taught in every public school in Land.

As long as classes are taught by a qualified (NRA certified/Eddie The Eagle) instructor, gun safety should be taught as a life skill.
Instructors must be vetted in order to avoid subterfuge by gun control/brain washing zealots.
I started my grandson shooting when he was five. Fifteen years later he has had no safety issues whatsoever. Yes, he outshoots me know.

It depends on who is teaching it. A second amendment hating liberal could bias a “gun safety” class into becoming an anti-gun propaganda tsunami that turns the child into a gun hating robot. You can be sure they would infiltrate and try to involve themselves in the class instruction so that they could sow their nefarious agenda. OR … a legitimate instructor could do enormous good for both the child and anyone who is influenced by what the child learns. Any child in such a class being taught by a legitimate and qualified instructor in which the facts are truthfully conveyed could become implicitly “immunized” from the lies and “fake new” propaganda from those determined to disarm the US populace. IF taught by a legitimate instructor, and IF monitored closely by pro-2nd amendment forces, I think gun safety classes would be beneficial.

LOL. It is doubtful you can get an °outside° pro2 authority THE authority to supervise in a public school setting, and frankly, no one should have direct influence in that, or any matter involving public education. It opens up a can of worms for anyone to push an agenda. Its checks and balances. Rather than bemoan what could happen in a worst case scenerio, why not push for the course to be done by qualified instructors, ones that are credentialed in that subject, just like every other subject. It will eventually even out. For the most part, instructors teach what they are passionate about, and if a set of standards were developed, like in any other curriculum, it would work well

Not only do I believe it should be taught in public schools, I am a public middle school teacher who teaches firearm safety, hunter education, and I get my student in the field whenever possible hunting and shooting. My class is an elective, but 3/4 of the students at my school take it, and I have never had an issue or complaint, unless you count RUNNING OUT OF SPOTS IN MY CLASS OR SPOTS ON A HUNTING TRIP. I have to turn people away. Last year I had room for 50 students along with their parent chaperone on a dove hunt. It filled up in 18 hours. This is a suburb of Dallas. From my viewpoint, things are “rosey “. It may not be the same everywhere else, but at least here our kids have the opportunity to learn it, and they eat it up!

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